If you have not figured it out by now, the answer is Walking. Yes, simply walking every day can do wonders for your body. And I am not talking about speed walking or power walking, just basic walking. A good moderate to brisk walk every day will help improve your attitude, your outlook on life, and even get you to thinking about changes you want to make in your life but never got around to it.

As you know we currently live in a world where everyone wants and expects a quick fix. Unfortunately, our bodies do not understand the quick fix method when we put on more and more weight and then want to get rid of it fast. You probably feel like celebrating when you start a diet and the first week you lose 5 to 7 pounds. Do not start celebrating yet. The weight that you think you have lost is mostly water weight and muscle. These are the things your body needs.

You do not have to diet to lose weight but you do need to start really looking at how you view food. Is it a source of fuel for your body when your energy gets low? Do you stop when you start getting that full feeling? Or have you been conditioned to eat what is put on the plate in front of you, even if it could probably feed three more people? If that is the case, you are not alone.

There are ways of getting out of this unhealthy rut and setting you on the right road to better health. I am going to give you a few things to consider:

*Drink a full glass of water before you sit down to eat that meal. Use this trick when dining out. You will be surprised how much food you will be taking home in a doggy bag.

*Chew your food at least 10-20 times. The more time you spend thoroughly chewing your food, the less likely you are to complete your entire meal. First of all, your stomach will feel full faster and second, your mouth will be ready to quit.

*Serve your meals on smaller plates. We have become so accustomed to the platter servings at restaurants that are designed to feed more than one person that we have forgotten what a normal size plate looks like.

*Drink 6-8 glasses of water day. Water acts as a diuretic and helps to decrease water retention. It aids the digestion by helping to break food down easier, and it regulates our body temperature.

*When you feel like you want a snack, go walking or engage in some other activity that will refocus your thoughts.

Did you know that if you get a craving for something the best way to get rid of it is to drink a glass of water? The craving will lessen and eventually go away after about 15 minutes. The guy that used to be my trainer when I went to the gym told me that. I did not believe it either until I tried it, and it really worked. He also told me that a lot of times cravings for sweets or other things is your body telling you that you need to drink more water. So think about that next time you reach for that cookie or piece of cake.

The last and most important thing you need to add to your healthier outlook is incorporating physical activity into your day. If all you have time for is walking, that is great. At least you are getting your body moving, your muscles and joints working, and believe it or not, you are releasing whatever tension built up in your body and in your mind. Walking is a great stress reliever because it does not take any effort to do and you can do it at your own pace. Walkign also helps to correct your posture and could you avoid pesky back problems later in life.

Now, you no longer have an excuse for staying on the couch. It only takes 30-40 minutes out of your day and you can even break up the time; 15-20 minutes in the morning and 15-20 minutes in the evening. The point is, you need to take time out for yourself and do something good for your body. Your body will love you for it. Here is to your good health.